


First Impressions-Becker

by Joe_Reaves



Series: Sharing a World [3]
Category: Primeval, Temeraire - Novik
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Dragons, Gen, Mythical Beings & Creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-15
Updated: 2010-04-15
Packaged: 2017-10-08 23:17:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/80519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joe_Reaves/pseuds/Joe_Reaves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Becker meets his new boss for the first time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Impressions-Becker

Captain Hilary Becker, 4th Earl of Malvern, Viscount Deerhurst, hugged Bran when they landed in front of the modern glass and steel building in the centre of London. Jumping lightly to the ground he rested one hand on Bran's neck and walked with him into the building.

When he'd first got his orders to report to this inconspicuous building with the enigmatic name of the ARC, he'd done some digging. He'd carefully contacted other people he knew in the service and had Bran talk to other dragons. He'd also done a background check on the only name he'd been given in connection with the assignment – Sir James Lester.

What he'd found out about the project could have fit on the back of a first class stamp – with room left over for his shopping list. The project came under the auspices of the Home Office and was very hush hush. He did manage to find out that there were several bases scattered across the country attached to the same project and that there were other teams of SAS dragons and their crews already involved, but even getting that much had pretty much burned through every favour he was owed and a few he wasn't.

Sir James Lester had been easier to research. He was 42, a career civil servant, who had worked for both the Home and Foreign Offices, and generally considered the go to man if you had a crisis that needed solving or a project that needed careful handling. People who had worked for him said he had a sharp tongue and didn't tolerate fools or incompetents. They also said that he worked long hours and was dedicated to his work and didn't expect anything from his staff that he wasn't willing to do himself. As far as his personal life went, he didn't seem to have one, although there was an ex-wife in the picture. The split seemed to have been amicable and that was where Becker had stopped digging. It wasn't any of his business why his new boss had got divorced.

He showed his identification to the blonde on the reception desk. Something about the controlled grace in her movements told him she wasn't just eye-candy, but part of the project's security. He liked that – it showed forward planning and intelligence on behalf of the people in charge, and that was something he admired.

He thought he might have to wait a while for Sir James to appear. In his experience senior bureaucrats liked to keep you waiting just to show you that they could. Apparently, Sir James didn't agree with that tactic though because Becker had hardly sat down when the double doors were being pushed open and a well-groomed man in an immaculately tailored suit was striding towards him, ready to shake his hand.

"Lord Malvern. And you must be Bran. Welcome to the ARC."

Becker winced and Bran chuckled, snorting loudly and making the man he assumed was Sir James back up slightly, eyeing the dragon warily. "Just Captain Becker, please. I don't use my title at work." He smiled to soften the impact of his words. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir James. I'm eager to get started."

The other man nodded and then laughed softly. "I'd reserve judgement on that if I were you. I haven't told you what we do here yet."


End file.
